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I finally have my tank the way I want it, and it is time I start thinking of a center piece fish to top off my master piece. I am clueless as to what to get next . As of right now I have; 5 silver hatchet, 2 Australian Rainbow fish, 3 false jullis (plan on getting atleast 2 more), and 1 rubber lipped pleco. I was considering getting a dwarf gourami or something similar. My only concern with a gourami is if it would get along with my other fish, especially my hatchets. This is in a 29 gallon tank. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

Fish CAN fly!

a pearl gourami would probably look nice in your aquarium. you could also get a small snakeskin if you can find one. both of these are probably the most peaceful and attractive gouramis

you need to get 2 more rainbowfish and 3 more corys. you could get ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm? ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm? i got it ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm? ok u could get a shoal of pincle fish yea that would be nice.

I don't think the poster wants a shoal of something if they are asking for a centerpiece .

Personally, I would get rid of the rainbows. They get pretty large, are active, and would like more company. If you remove them, you could have room for a pearl/dwarf/honey gourami. Those 3 would be your best choices I think, because of size and temperment. I would go with the pearl gourami . You could also add more cories and hatchets then.

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So as not to mislead with their own, ordinary faces.

Yep I agree with adding more Corys at least.
Corys should be kept in groups of 5-6 just like
other schooling fish.
However, before we jump and say " rainbows are too big"
Lets ask - What Kind of Rainbows?


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They are Australian Rainbowfish. Thanks for your help. I really appreciate your input!

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I would get 3 more Corydoras & 2 more Rainbows.




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lol Stooge, thats not a particular species.
There are over 60 species of "Australian Rainbowfish".
Many of which reach 4-6 inches.
What do they look like?


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Smallest fish I know of off the top of my head that is actually sold as the "Australian Rainbow Fish" is Melanotaenia mccullochi, and that can grow to between 3 and 4 inches (9 cm). A bit of a squeeze to put those in a 29 gallon if you give them the shoal numbers they like.

Other species sizes for rainbowfishes from Australia are (checked with various sources including Fishbase and the Home of the Rainbowfish web page):

M. duboulayi : 9 cm
M. eachamensis : 6 cm (but these are INCREDIBLY rare!)
M. exquisita : 6 cm
M. fluviatilis : 9 cm
M. gracilis : 7.5 cm
M. nigrans : 10 cm
M. pygmaea : 7 cm
M. splendida australis : 12 cm
M. splendida inornata : 12 cm
M. splendida splendida : 15 cm
M. splendida tatei : 10 cm
M. trifasciata : 15 cm
M. utcheensis : not recorded

Among some other rarities from Australia are:

Cairnsichthys rombosomoides : 15 cm

Then there is Iriatherina werneri, the Threadfin Rainbowfish, which only reaches 3.5 cm, but tends to need peaceful and docile companions, and is CERTAINLY not recommended as a companion for Tiger Barbs, for example, which will shred those lovely fins!

Basically, your Rainbows will, if they are one of the Melanotaenia Rainbows, be big enough to stand as 'centrepiece' fishes themselves in time to come. Some will outgrow your 29 gallon setup fairly quickly.

So, if you're looking for a SINGLE fish that will act as a 'centrepiece' alongside shoaling fishes, check the identity of your Rainbows first and make sure you don't have a species that can grow big. Because if you have, you're looking at rehousing those first.


Last edited by Calilasseia at 13-Jan-2006 05:54

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Im sorry, Im not sure of the scientific name. I am just getting into the hobby and the rainbowfish seemed like a nice first fish. My rainbows are mostly white/silver with two yellow stipes getting brighter towards the tail and the tail is yellowish orange. They also have a little blue towards the tail. Hope this helps...

Fish CAN fly!

If you go to this site, and browse for the list of species, you'll find LOTS of photos of Rainbowfishes to compare yours with. Which should help considerably

Here's a starter page for you to browse through!


Last edited by Calilasseia at 13-Jan-2006 07:45

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Thanks for that link! To the best I can tell it looks like Mubi Rainbowfish, Melanotaenia mubiensis. They have a potential size of about 10 cm!


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this is what i would do with your tank...see if you can trade or give away the rainbows,they will get too big for your tank, especially if you add more to the group to keep them happy.

i would say trade the rainbows in, get yourself 3 more julii corys about the same size as the ones you have, and get a school of non agressive tetras...i know you want a centerpiece fish, but bolivian rams, angelfish, and gouramis are about all that will work in a 29 gallon, and the bolivian rams are cool, but they never leave the bottom of the tank for the most part...so not much of a centerpiece. the angels can get territorial, they like to be in pairs, they like bigger tanks, and my angel also liked to eat my corys food and beat them up...i took the 4" angel in my 29 gallon tall back, and the gouramis sometimes can be agressive, mostly due to the fact that they like their own territory, and they like the middle to top of the tank where your hatchets like to play.

while i rarely read about gouramis wiping out tetras and other middle to bottom level fish, i have heard multiple horror stories of labrynth fish(betas,gouramis,ect) killing hatchets off with pleasure.

so, might i suggest you keep the corys and get more, keep the hatchets,then get either a small school of neon tetras and a bolivian ram, or get a school of 7 lemon tetras or other non "nippy" tetras.

Last edited by reun at 13-Jan-2006 16:39

I might just do that. Thanks for your input. I have been thinking about some lemon tetra... Has anyone had them before. What do they think of them?

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Had Lemons for, oh, nearly 10 years prior to my wipeout. Would still have them otherwise.

Lemons ... hmm, time for a shameless plug

My Lemon Tetra Article

Everything you need to know ...


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Lemons are good what about:
5 hatchets
6 corys
8 lemon tetras
1 pearl/honey/dwarf gourami
1 rubberlip pleco